Chapter 5: Someone called, and I look back

(Author note: This is continuation of Choi Young who is on the frozen lake and is remembering how he was trying to find Mae hee, from the last chapter)

It is when Choi Young reaches the halfway point of Songaksan Mountain, that he notices the hood swinging in the breeze as it hangs from a tree branch.

The sight of the hood swinging makes him stop in his tracks. He knows without looking at it closely who it belongs to.

He hesitantly approaches the branch that it hangs from hood to capture it with trembling hands to remove it.

The black fabric is clutched in his hand as he stares at the red moon embroidery which had been done by Mae hee.

The memory of how she embroidered whenever she could while they travelled to carry out missions on the battlefield.

Choi Young recognises this embroidered red crescent moon had been her first as it was distorted due to lack of skill, and she said that she had lost it. Her second attempt had been much better, and she had given it to their teacher, the captain.

She had promised to give the next on she embroidered to Choi Young, as her skill had become more proficient. It was something that he had looked forward to, eventhough he did not expect it.

Although no one in the Red Team could match Mae hee's whip skills, her embroidering skill had remained poor and the third hood, to his knowledge had not been completed.

Choi Young-eun looks at the clumsily crooked red crescent moon, as he crushes into his hand, that makes a fist and feels like he was going to hit something. At the same time, he prays 'No. Mae hee, do not do it. Please do not do it. Do not do it.'

He prays, even though deep down he knows praying is a crazy idea, yet resorts to it as anxiety has set deep with in his stomach.

Choi Young can feel how his heart starts to tremble as continues to climb the mountain, stumbling a few times as he makes his way up, knowing where she would go.

It was a place that he and Mae hee have visited together many times in the past and the last time had been only a few days ago.

It is a place they have visited many times alone, as well when they want solitude. It is a small field that is hidden in a natural basin, which is good to avoid prying eyes. In the middle of the field stands a tall old arborvitae.

Choi Young remembers how they had practiced martial arts together around that tree and under that tree. It was a place that they shared rice balls and took a nap together under the shade. It was also where he had kissed her for the first time as she leaned against that tree.

The memory of how the scent of the arborvitae surrounded them, as he leaned over her to look at her face, trembling with anticipation.

The way Mae hee had smiled with her eyes to accept his advance, before moving to close the small distance between them to then put their trembling lips together.

Choi Young sees his lover who had been like a sister to him, her lifeless body is now hanging by the neck.

The handle of her whip to wrapped around a high branch on the tree and the other end had been made into a noose that has tightened around her neck.

He is tall enough to free her hanging body from the whip with one hand as he holds her stiff form by the waist with the other arm to take the weight as it is released. 

He then kneels on the ground as he lowers her hold her cold body, lying on his knees to look down tears stream down his face. At the appearance of her face, which shows the ugliness of a dead person, that has been hung.

Choi Young-eun looks at how her tongue protrudes and her eyes bulge, making her face look ugly, he finds it hard to understand how she could do this.

He remembers how he had talked to her lifeless form touching her face;

"Did you not listen to a word I said? I said I would protect you. Are you saying you did not believe it? I said that only if you live, can I live too. Did that not matter? Explain to me why this tree? Everything you and I had together, why did you have to make it like this? You must have known that I would come. Did you plan to wait for me like this? Did it not matter to you that this is how I am going to remember you from now on? Why did you throw what we had away? Did I ever to do that to you? Mae hee... why?"

The memory makes him wonder 'Was it that tree?' The fishing holes gradually freeze over and the icy wind blowing over the frozen lake makes Choi Young aware that he is now sitting by himself on the bank of lake.

The realisation makes him look around for the figure of his father to see if he has moved somewhere else. After searching the picture it becomes evident that he is completely alone.

He feels how the memory of Mae hee is fading little by little, just like his consciousness. He asks her in desperation, "What could I have done to protect you back then?" 

The thoughts plagued him with what if it had been this way back then…... What if it had been that way…. the thoughts of what ifs were countered with the endings that would have resulted in them being followed.

The snowflakes that passed his sitting figure increased in their intensity with the wind that blows them fiercely which makes them feel more like needles rather than light flakes that they were before.

In his sitting position, he can see how the frost begins to cover the shoes. The sight of it makes him feel more comfortable.

The thought forms in his head that if he can become part of the frozen lake, then he can stop now. The sense of relief that follows with this realisation that he can stop, becomes increasingly distant. 

Taiwan who has been keeping vigil has been feeling increasing anxious for a while now and does not know what to do. The captain had remained the same, and Uiseon had been sitting with him.

Taiwan wonders why his heart is pounding erratically like this. He decides to squat on the windowsill to look of the captain from a higher position, to better look at the overall condition of the captain. 

Taiwan had sat there with his upper body leaning forward to keep the captains face in his sight, while Uniseon had spoken to the captain, her words making her flinched.

Uiseon seemed to talk to the unconscious captain like he could hear, and Taiwan could not help but hear what she had said was as follows.

"Hey, I overheard you talking with the King. I understand that you have been living in such a shitty world...But, I guess I need to tell you that you are not the only one. Out of one hundred people, at least nine of these people the world is like a dog. Still, everyone survives. Why does everyone survive? They stubbornly want to live instead of dying. Because… Because..."

Eunsu becomes speechless as she wonders, 'Why do I live so desperately? How did he come to this?'

At some point, I stopped asking questions like that, because sometimes questions are too scary to ask. The possibility of the answer of being scarier to hear, then the initial question asked.

Eun soo stops sighs looking at the captain who is lying in front of her, who is the person that Jang Bin had called Choi Young.

It is a person who appears in the Korean history textbook, is dying because I stabbed him. If only there is an intensive care unit, where beside him would be a monitor to his current vitals. 

It makes her remember suddenly of that day in Cardiology on the first day of 3rd year practical training in the department.

It was in an operating room, that the patient was a man in his 40s who came in with myocardial infarction.

He had been lying on the operating table, prepared for surgery, when her attention had been drawn to the monitor which had start to beep in a long loud way. It was because the heart rhythm had stopped. 

Eunsoo had carried out heart massage (CPR) and electric impulses to get the heart moving again which had been successful, unfortunately the patient's consciousness did not.

The whole procedure that had been planned was cancelled. The decision had been made after a senior intern is squeezing the arm connected to the tracheal intubation.

The patient had been transferred to a mobile bed to go to the intensive care unit, where Eun-soo removed the cord connecting the monitor.

It was just as the cord was removed that the patient's heart stopped again, without her knowledge. It was not until the cardiology professor shouted, "Arrest!"

Eun-soo looked at the cardiology professor wonder how he could tell, so she connected the monitor again, to see that the heart had indeed stopped.

The cardiology professor had already started to do a heart massage and was just barely able to get the patient's heart beating again.

Later, Eun soo could not hold back and went to the professor to ask, "How did you know?" He answers simply, "Concentration"

After all completing the training, to become a specialist, she had still been confused at the concept that if it does not appear on the monitor, how else can you tell?

Eun soo concentrates her focus on Choi Young's face noticing how those long eyelashes look like as his eyes remain closed. 

She pleas with all her might, 'All, I want to ask you from the bottom of my heart is to please open your eyes.' How she misses the sight of those deep dark eyes and how they can look at you quietly without wavering. 

She goes to check the temperature of his forehead and notices that there is a small scar on the corner of his forehead, when she moves his fringe to place her hand on his forehead.

She redirects her attention not to look to closely and notices how he feels too cold, which makes her heart sink.

Eun-soo pleads with him as she brushes his disheveled fringe back in place, "Do not do this. Do not leave me alone. Not after you kidnap me and then stopped me from going back. I can forget it if you would only wake up, but I will not forgive you if you leave me alone. Can you hear me? What! Your heart has stopped."

Taiwan stood up in surprise at her last remark and started to bounce around the bottom of the table, to stop when he witnesses the Heavenly Doctor take action.

Eun-soo has roughly removed the blanket that was covering the captain and starts to press the captain's chest with both hands like a spell, she counts in English, "One Two Three Four Five....."

Jang Bin comes in to see this with a look of concern, which changes to a look of surprise when she sees Eun soo move towards Choi Young's face to pinch his nose with her fingertips.

She then places her lips over his lips, the action makes Jang Bin and Taiwan look eyes wide as it appears to them that she is kissing him.

Eun-soo in reality was administering mouth to mouth resuscitation, she has opened his mouth, blocked his nose and is now expelling breath out of her open mouth into the captain. 

While the Heavenly Doctor is sharing her breath, while Choi Young is sitting at the lake that is as still as a picture. 

The wind that had whipped up the snowflakes in a frenzy, now remained motionless, suspended in the air.

Everything is so still and motionless that even the sound has stopped. Choi Young feels that he is becoming like the enemy sinking, soon it will be hard to distinguish him from the ice and the lake that he sits at.

Eun-soo was not giving up even though it was against what she had learned, how long a doctor should administer CPR, before declaring the patient dead and record the time they died. 

Jang Bin who had been holding Choi Young's wrist, to see if he can feel a pulse through the vein and after a long time of not feeling it. 

Eun-soo hands were on top of one another palms down pressing on Choi Young's chest, as she counts, "One Two Three Four Five...."

Her face is wet with sweat, evidence of the effort she is exerting, with every ounce of strength and energy she has left.

Jang Bin goes to grab Eun-soo's wrist to stop her saying, "This is too much." Eun-soo shakes his hand off roughly to continue what she was doing and counts, "One Two Three Four Five...." Jang Bin tries to convince her, "Please let this person go."

Eun-soo continues like she has not heard him to breathe into Choi Young's mouth again. Her lips are looking as blue in colour as Choi Young's. She feels like she is about to fall, when Jang Bin catches her from behind, to see that she is crying.

Eun-soo is unaware that she is crying, she regains her bearings to stand on her feet, to break away from Jang Bin to approach the unconscious figure lying on the table.

She stands there for a moment to suddenly grab Choi Young by the collar to lift his upper body with the force of her anger which is reflected in her voice when she directs her angry words to his face;

"Where do you think you are going?!!! I refuse to let you go!!! You told me to stay right next to you, so that you could protect me!!! You made a promise to keep me safe until you can take me back!!!"

Eun-soo's tears fell on Choi Young's closed eyes and on his cheeks. The sensation of the tears falling on his face penetrates the world he is in to fall onto the frozen lake.

It only took one moving teardrop to hit the frozen lake that freezes on impact the other tears stopped motionless in the air mid fall. While another tear drop had landed on his cheek to start to crack the ice that had started to form on his still body.

Choi Young had thought he was returning to a world of silence, but a sound came from somewhere to penetrate the still air, "You said you would protect me."

The sound travels around in the air like an echo, which makes the air that had been still, stir in confusion. 

The wind stirs triggered by the words that reverberate hit the tears that had stopped to cause them to fall. 

It is when these tears fall that they hit random areas of the picture and as they land the sound of that accompanies their impact is instantaneous. 

The sound is the cracking of ice which begins at the frozen lake. Choi Young is watching it as it cracks puzzled at the question that nags at him, 'Who wants me to protect them?'

He lifts his head it seems that the lake remembers, the appearance of fine cracking spreads to create individual concentric circles of ice, that gradually widen the gap inbetween each.

The gaps resulting in separating the pieces of ice that floats now in separate pieces. The gaps finally take over as the ice melts for the water to replace the ice.

The first one to notice the change in the unconscious lying man was Eun-soo. The change makes her stop putting pressure on Choi Young's chest, to look closer at his face.

Jang Bin noticed her actions, which triggers him to extend his hand to feel Choi Young's neck and his pulse.

He then looks at her as she looks at him nervously, he says in complete disbelief, "His breathing... has come back." Eun-soo then to make sure that blood is circulating checks the veins in the ankles.

Jang Bin looks at Eun-soo in complete disbelief. Taiwan on the other hand could not contain his joy and did some somersaults and fell to the floor.

Eun-soo is feeling a bit scattered after all the energy she has exerted in administering CPR for a prolonged period of time, is relieved that it seemed to be successful.

Eun-soo carefully lifted Choi Young's closed eyelids to opened them, to see how responsive they are.

The eyes that she looks into seem to be illuminated by fire. She watches at how the pupil increase and then decreased as they react to the light.

It is when they stop adjusting to take on a steady look, it indicates that there is no brain damage to him.

It also appears that the black shadow that had been taking over his face is fading away from his face and his complexion was returning to normal.

At that moment, Eun-soo unconsciously lowered her head to place his lips on those lips and kissed Choi Young's lips 

Although it was weak, she could feel that he was breathing in and out, this was proven when she could feel how he breathed when he exhaled which lingers on the tip of her tongue.

It has a regular rhythm and appears to be steady, so she raised her head thankful that she had stayed in the room for a long time.

Jang Bin has no idea how Uiseon, the who came from heaven, did it. It appeared that she had kissed Choi Young. 

It seemed like it took a long time before she raised her head not taking her eyes off Choi Young's face, her pale face has a smile on it.

The smile encourages him to turns his attention and feels Choi Young's wrist pulse. The truth of the situation was gathering itself like the scattered pieces.

The owner was not able to give it instructions, but Jinki was finding its own way. It was at that moment the door burst open and Dougie came running in, to gesture frantically and points outside.

Someone came was outside. What were they supposed to do? Where were they supposed to go? There is no way they could run away.

The atmosphere was a tense in the courtyard of Jeonui City. On one side, Gi-won, the biological brother of Deokseong Buwongun Ki-cheol and the father of Buwongun.

The sight of their private soldiers standing on one side, and on the other side, is where the Woodalchis' stood with a space in the middle that separates the two they are confronting each other.

It was as soon as the Pyeonjeon meeting was over, Chung Seok selected Chairman Gapjo to mediate after noticing that Deokseong Buwongun Ki-Cheol's gaze on Uiseon was unsettling.

The number of soldiers from Buwongun's family who occupied the Jeongui city center was thirty. It seemed like they had been mobilised so quickly and in such large numbers, that he had no way of anticipating they were going to come, with the five people that had attended the palace.

Dolbae, who will be of great help, is to report to the manager, Chung Seok, was taking some time, ends up running.

At the same time, Dolbae hope that the Woodalchis will come to support him. The chairman rolls his head and steps forward, to say, "I am a bit lacking in understanding, but what did you just say?"

Riding on the power of his sister and his older brother, he carried out the work of milling and disbursing the King's orders and, the official title of a royal official in charge of military secrets.

Although he was able to climb up the mountain, his courage and brains were far behind. It is when Won walks out with a swagger, "Do you know who I am? How can you not recognize Nari, a military officer? But how dare you sluts get in front of me."

The answer, "Stop it? When did I want to know your position?" Won then clicks his tongue in annoyance, but does not lose his smile to counter, "Is there any other way for slobs like us? If you are ordered to protect something, you have no choice but to protect it. Well, it is the line you guys are protecting. They told me to bring them, so I took them. I am going to do it."

The other asks, "Who did that?" Won brandishes his authority by saying, "This rotten guy is holding on to every word he says. He's not backing down, so I guess I can't."

It is only who brag about their position, tend to start screaming when they are at a loss for words. Zhu Xiu smiled coldly and held the sword at his waist, wondering how long they will stand in front of us and shout to try and bully them to give way first.

The Woodalchi stand firm, prepared with their hands on their sword hilts, while Zhu Xiu, says firmly, "Our Woodalchi, has received the King's order, seal the Jeonuisi, and protect the Uiseon."

Wandering who dares to invade with private soldiers to challenge my protection of an individual?Suddenly the person in the middle shouts, "GO!!"

The command triggers the bullies to quickly rush to both sides of that person, taking offensive positions with their swords and spear pointed at those opposite, ready to attack and kill, while the one in the middle stands with his hands behind his back, seemingly weaponless.

Without realizing it, Gwon took a few steps back and hid behind the soldiers to scream loudly, "What are you doing? Get rid of those wanton bastards right away."

The soldiers took out their weapons all at once, looking at one another, before they stare at the opponent's crew waiting for them to launch their attack.

The opponent's crew is tougher than expected and it seemed that these people are said to have the power of each one of them, comparable to those who passed the military civil service examination.

The soldiers are standing in preparation, anticipating the move of the guy in front of them. The man in the middle that seems to be the leader steps forward, hands still behind his back, to be met by Gwon, who was leading the Woodalchi. 

It was something he had been taught to confront the leader one on one to win the larger fight saying, "Do not worry. This is Jeonui City. Even if a limb is cut off, it will prevent you from dying right away. Who wants to be first? Sreung."

The president drew his sword as the Private Ha, who was sticking out at the front with that relaxed momentum.

He quietly steps back to allow Deokseong Buwongun Ki-Cheol to step forward. It had been his priority to get into Jeonuisi, ever since he had heard the first rumour about Uiseon, he felt annoyed.

It became more urgent after his encounter with the young King who used her as his trump card, a fact that he found annoying.

Seon-hye says she will deal with someone like this, and Ki-Cheol felt sorry for myself, wondering if I had even made it to the end of the year.

Not wanting to drag it out any longer, Ki-Cheol grabbed the hilt of his sword at his waist to deal with it right away.

Gaegyeong was where all the high officials gathered in the front hall a good place to bring the King down to his knees with what he had to say.

All he had wished for in the meeting was for the King of Goryeo to cry in front of his subjects at how powerless he was compared to Ki-Cheol.

Instead, the young King had resisted surprisingly firmly, and the presence of the woman called Uiseon with Jang Bin lodged itself in his memory.

Ki-Cheol is now asking for a personal audience with the King and is in Gangan-an. It is when he stands, waiting in front of the King's study with his guards that has triggered the Woodalchi's response trying to calm the situation he says, "I will wait obediently."

Ki-Cheol's tactic was waiting, which was not out of respect for the King, but because of the impact of the woman who was said to be from Heaven.

It was to give him time to organize his thoughts, as the woman's image comes to mind. The way that the woman with red hair that looked straight at him the eyes.,

He recalls how she cursed him a way, he did not understand but the way they were delivered made it clear, "Hey you. Fuck you. Go to hell."

The moment the woman delivered the unknown words to cast her cast, Ki-Cheol's had felt a feeling that penetrated his body to then take over. It is a feeling that was unfamiliar, 'Was it fear....NO WAY.'

Ever since he had started to cultivate and practice ice skills, his body and every tissue had become cold and hard. Over time as he grew up, even his heart had become cold and hard.

Ki-Cheol had developed his skills, practicing each day, like others with inner energy do as well. It was the way promoted to use expediated methods which made him develop several times faster than others. The progress he made, resulted in aftereffects that remained.

It was he who first approached his teacher to guide him in how to operate the heavenly object and how to gain some inner strength, in how it could be deeper and stronger. It was how training his body using expedient methods had started.

Would the outcome be different if it was a different kind of skill? It makes him wonder how his teacher who had dedicated his whole life to it would guide him in this speculation of doubt or was it reflection.

The teacher who he could no longer see any progress in his own strength, that he searched for children with merit and took them as disciples.

Among them, Ki-Cheol had been the best disciple, which he trained on a more personal level.Ki-Cheol remembers how his body broke down early on and felt like he was losing it, he had asked cautiously, "Master. If I keep training like this, my body will not be able to endure it and will not be able to...…." 

Before he could finish the question, the master's blow had struck him in the ribs, which broke it saying, "I am more worried about your life than your body. If you cannot keep up with the training. You must do it."

The teacher's inner strength was reaching the Seven Stars, and the teacher was about to die. Ki-Cheol had reached the age of five when he had accompanied his teacher's deathbed, feeling anxious and at the same time he grew up. 

It made him wonder how he was going to survive without his teacher. After all his teacher had made him such a master of internal energy by breaking him, then preparing a hot medicine bath for him to get into.

The consequence if he did not get into the medicine bath was that his body will freeze starting from the tips of his fingers as the blood stopped flowing.

At first this only happened once a month where Ki-Cheol used medicinal herbal remedies, increased to once a day at night and now he uses it three days in a row once a year, which depends on how often he uses his power and the intensity of its use.

Ki-Cheol remembers how the woman in Heaven had looked at him and said she knew how and when he would die. It is like she had recognized his condition just by looking at his complexion.

Ki-cheol shakes his head at her claims that she knows the future of the country. A madwoman who talks about crazy things and even knows about his condition.

It made him think that she might be able to fix it. The thought persists that if there was a chance, that if it was true.... He should not miss your chance, that he could not ignore the possibility of changing what is going to happen. 

The moment the woman chanted that unknown curse. Ki-Cheol's entire body was overtaken with the feeling that was going through his body that this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Was it a reaction? The eunuch came out, opened the door, and let him in. The King who had been determined not to avoid the man's predictable reaction was watching Ki-Cheol enter through the open door, in a leisurely manner, displaying outwardly his relaxed attitude.

Ki-Cheol walked in hands behind his back without hesitation with a smile to stop in the centre, to look at the King. The King was sitting in chair behind his desk and looking at Ki-Cheol in silence.

From the moment Ki-Cheol entered the palace, the King had felt the cold aura of a snake as it slithers silently, toward him, as it attempts to climb up, using his body to get to the highest place it is aiming for.

The Kings hands that had been resting on the handles of the chair, his fingers grip the end of the handles with a lot of strength at his entrance. The King didn't know what to do with my hand holding the handle of the chair, so taking a deep breath I concentrate on releasing my grip on the chair thinking, 'Do not get caught.'

Ki-Cheol was watching the young King noticing when he took a deep breath, and the loosening of fingers as they relise the handle that they were holding and is satisfied with the effect he has had thinking, 'Yeah that is it, young King. Please, I hope you try to hold on a little harder.'

Ki-Cheol looks around the room is empty of any Woodalchi which includes Chung Seok who seemed to be in charge of the King's protection.

Ki-Cheol looks at the study to see if there are any gaps that anyone interested in observing them would be able to take advantage of without the participants knowing.

It seemed that the wall of the study was without any gaps. The whole situation makes him think of Choi Young, wondering where that guy is. 

After all, everyone else who sees Ki-Cheol avoids his gaze, which normally would be hard to endure normally, the added factor of it being filled with inner strength, makes the impact felt even without being the subject of their scrutiny.

Ki-Cheol cannot remember one that had the courage apart from Choi Young who defied his expectations, which made him pay attention to the unit that he had dismissed as stupid. 

Before it had come to Ki-Cheol's attention of that person's existence, he had not spent much time at the palace.

Ki-Cheol had only encountered the Woodalchi a few times and had not paid attention to them, even if the children who make up the unit were not easy. 

The Captain Choi Young had sparked his interest. Word had made it to Ki-Cheol that the young King had even named that kid as someone he trusted. 

It had made Ki-Cheol wonder where that kid was when Uiseon confirmed she was treating him and that he was alive. The confirmation of him being alive had made him so happy that his mouth had almost fell open.

After entering the King's study, Ki-Cheol suddenly shakes off his sleeves and kneels on the floor, to show his deference to the King that he did not feel, he lowered his head, to announce.

"Deokseong Buwongun Ki-Cheol, I come to see His Majesty the Lord."

He kneels there with his head lowered waiting for an answer which does not seem to be coming, as the silence sits heavy in the air.

Ki-Cheol thinks 'What?' He raises his head to secretly peak at the King to see, 'look at this' as he can see how the King frowned with an expressionless face, as his gaze watches him kneeling.

The long silence is filled with their breathing as time passes like. Ki-Cheol is aware that it is a power play to make him remain kneeling without being acknowledged.

It is a price he his willing to pay as he remains waiting, kneeling, eyes lowered, going with the flow to not dwell on the amount of time that passes. 

Only then did the King smiles as he finally speaks,"Ah. The person was surprised to receive an unexpected courtesy and bowed for too long. Enough is enough. You may rise."

Ki-Cheol stands up to look at the King again, thinking how cunning this little kid was. He starts to shake his head and says, "Your Majesty, your convictions...."

The moment Ki-Cheol crosses his arms, the sound of his sword being latched is heard. All at once, clattering noises were made, as the bullies came forward from all directions, to enter the room and surround Ki-Cheol, which resulted Woodalchis that surrounded the King .

No one took out their swords, but once they did, it immediately would change the situation. Ki-Cheol reaches into one of his sleeves to take out the piece of paper that he had carried in there for this purpose. 

He places it on the desk as he reports to the King keeping it under his fingertips saying, "I came to give you the meaning of this copy of the secret message that His Highness sent a while ago."

The King raised one hand which resulted in the Woodalchis all step back as he responds, "Ah, that is right. I remember how Milji said it came out of the burned area Seonhye, twenty-four ministers who died all at once in one day So?"

Only then does Ki-Cheol take his hand of the copy of the message, which Andochi came forward to take the wheat paper that it was copied on to give it to the King.

He recognises the message that is made up of ten letters '位亡日立' and are written on the wheat paper that Cho Young had showed him earlier.

Ki-Cheol continues loudly, "Gangneungwimangeo, when the river and hills settle, the sun sets and fall, there is something to do with, Gangneung…."

The King pretending to seek clarification, "It must be the name of a person who was the Grand Prince of Gangneung. And?" Ki-Cheol goes on to explain, "Please seek the sun of the old Ilipdae and establish a great cause."

The King says, "Does it not mention the name of the former King of Gyeongchang-gun? Is this being not my nephew, the former King of Goryeo?"

Ki-Cheol says, "May I suggest and interpretation of that?" The King's answer is simple, "I am listening."

Ki-Cheol takes a step to the side, which allows the light to hit the King's face, the better to watch his reaction as he says, PG212

"Dear subjects, please save me. If Prince Gangneung ascends to the throne, I, Prince Gyeongchang, will die."

The King's expression changed at Ki-Cheol's interpretation. It makes him aware that Ki-Cheol knew what it meant.

Ki-Cheol's eyes do not leave the King as he watches how he seems to be hesitating about something and makes him wonder 'What?'

There were two wooden boxes on the King's desk, which the King seems to hesitate. He then reaches for one of them to open the lid to take out the folded piece of paper, which was inside, to carefully spread it out on the desk to say, "This is the original wheat paper."

The King then reaches for the other wooden box that contained the centipedes; he is weight up whether to reveal the secret of proving the message was a fake that Choi Young has shown him.

The King sits with his hand on the wooden box knowing that this is the moment of decision, and random questions starts to pop into his head: 

The first is, 'I wonder if this is the person who had made the fake message written on wheat paper and planted it in Seonhyejeong.'

The second is 'if no who did? and why?'

The third is 'If you show Ki-Cheol what his response will be?

The fourth is 'if you ask him, what will Ki-Cheol say?

The King's moment of decision is postponed a little longer with the possibilities of what each problem could result with the answers to be spoken.

To postpone the moment of revelation the King asks Ki-Cheol, "So, those who gathered at Seonhyejeong that day received this message and went to Gyeongchang? Where they gathered here to save the military? Is the no other way to interpret it."

Ki-Cheol asks, "Who else but Gyeongchang-gunmama would write such an advertisement?"

The King then says, "Then the person who received this message burned and killed all those gathered. Who was it?"

Ki-Cheol laughs as he said, "God did it." The King is horrified because Ki-Cheol's eyes are the same as those of a snake. The King is speechless."…."

Ki-Cheol pushes the argument with,"Yes, Your Majesty." The King says, ""God...?"

Ki-Cheol continues with, "Yes. God did it for His Highness and for the sake of this country, Goryeo."

The King is confounded with the line of argument and says, "I killed them all."

The King's hand still rests on the second wooden box, weighing up whether to open the wooden box of centipede, drop them on the wheat paper and say:

'Look, this is blood is fake. Therefore, this message that is written on the piece of wheat paper is fake. Did you make this fake message? Who else would make the fake message?' 

What would the result be? How would Ki-Cheol and those accompanying him react? How would the Woodalchi's react when they react?

Could the outcome be that everyone would be killed defending him and how successful would they be in killing Ki-Cheol and those that follow him? What if he is not killed? What will happen after that?

The King can hear Choi Young's voice saying, 'You can do that, or you can just pretend not to know and listen.'

The lid of the wooden box that is being opened stops halfway and then stops at the recollection of what Choi Young had said even though he is not right next to him.

It makes the King remember that Choi Young wants to leave him and decides to close the lid of the wooden box again.

He swallows to soothe his dry throat as he says, "Then, Sir, I give you the right to secretly deal with the traitors for Gwain's sake." 

Ki-Cheol then prods the King with, "Does that mean if I deal with that person, you will at least give me a reward to express your gratitude?" The King answers, "Is that right? Is there anything you would like to receive? Please feel free to tell me?"

Ki-Cheol continues to test the King to say, "There is someone in my house who has a disease that cannot be cured except by fire."

The King almost jumped up when he heard Ki-Cheol's words, to just managing to restrain himself from doing so, telling himself to, 'Hold on.' Waiting for Ki-Cheol to make his request.

Ki-Cheol boldly asks, "Please grant permission so that I can take Uiseon. If the woman is indeed the righteousness that came from Heaven, then of course she would cure the disease. I will hit it, if by any chance she cannot, for the sake of God and His Majesty the Lord. I will also deal with that monster secretly."

The King asks, "What if I refuse?" Ki-Cheol answers in persuasive way, "I would think Your Highness has already fallen for the monster's tricks and I would have no choice but to appeal to the chieftain that the monster has robbed you of your mind. La…. That would truly be a tragedy for this country, Goryeo."

Ki-cheol smiles, narrowing his eyes, which are colder than a snake, that pressures and threatens the King. 

Jeonuisi Jungjeong are fully aware of the silent threat that confronts them, where no one can draw their swords first, watching the process that cheats their ability to fight their opponents.

Gwon, who was hiding behind the soldiers, feels like he is about to scream, with the frustration that builds unable to do something, until they make the first move.

The moment I couldn't hold back any longer and was about to scream, he sees a sudden movement from.

It was Taiwan, who no intention of engaging in dialogue from the beginning, leapt from the ceiling. The knives which are normally concealed up his sleeves are now sticking out from both wrists' blades reflecting what light was around on their sharp steel.

Taiwan lands on a private soldier in front, simultaneously lodging the knives into the body beneath him.

To Taiwan, these were enemies trying to seize the right to rule, after all without Uiseon, the captain who barely survived will more than likely die again.

The thought motivated him to follow what he thought was the line of duty at all costs because I he did not know if it would be a mistake.

The private solider who was attacked by Taiwan barely managed to block the one knife but was unable to block the second horizontal slash of the other knife, and blood had begun to bleed from his abdomen, as Taiwan jumped off to roll onto the floor and regain his footing.

The action was the trigger needed for the soldiers to attack all at once beginning. The numbers of the private soldiers outnumbered the Woodalchis, where they had to deal with five or six people each.

'Damn it', Deokman the head of King's protection swore silently to swing his sword wide in long arcs, to chase two men at once, before stepping back and looks around him.

He is currently positioned properly with his back against the wall, which means he does not have to deal with three or more opponents at a time. He is able to hold them off well.

First it is two guys who attacked him from both sides at once, aiming for the exposed areas of his body, which he countered successfully.

Second it was two spearmen attacking from both sides, which he easily deflected. Stupid things that they were, as he was able to manuver them so that they stabbed each other, when they aimed at his abdomen. 

Le becomes embarrassed and loses his balance and hears the others comment among them, so he redirects the motion to kick one guy's leg to knock him off his balance and then hit him unconscious.

He then grabs the other guy's spear to pull him down, to hold him their as he looks around to see if there are any more opponents.

It looks like their opponents are winning, but at least they are not being pushed back either, which would be a problem.

It makes him wonder how far they can go when they fight after all the opponents are private soldiers from Deokseong Buwongun's house.

Would it be okay to kill them? The hesitation is not only his, but also evident in the way the other Woodalchis, fight so they were all not doing their best.

The situation was being pushed into a stalemate, where hesitation makes a big dent in their offensive position.

The Woodalchis are on one side, holding the areas that have been wounded, one is cradling cut arm to stem the bleeding from the deep cut he has got from one of the private soldiers.

The other private soldiers seeing his weakness, go to attack him, when Joong rushed in and stabbed one of his soldiers in the back.

Meanwhile, this exposes his back and is a prime target for someone's spear which glints with its sharp head making its way to his back.

Suddenly an open fan that has been flicked, through the air that bounces off the spear to knock it off its trajectory, to then rebound to fly back it the way to come to catch the flying fan where it was caught nimbly by Jang Bin who stands in the middle of the battlefield, who then walks to the front.

Jang Bin then places pressure on certain acupuncture points of the private soldiers, which inflicts short and long paralysis in an instant and then returns to where he initially stood.

Jang Bin holds his fan open to then close it in using both hands to hold it like he is praying. He then places the closed fan on top of Myeongmunhyeol to his body as he speaks low, yet in a way that projects throughout the room, "Please stop fighting."

Gwon, who was about to scream, "You again…" stops as he feels stinging from behind, pain rose, and the tongue became stiff.

Jang Bin says, "The paralysis you fell will last for a while. Please, just stop, as people get hurt…" However, Jang Bin's earnest request is met with the sound of screaming hysterically and shouting which can be heard, "This guy is hurting me. What are you doing?"

Among the private soldiers nearby, they rushed over and aimed at Jang Bin, which makes him look around to notice another private soldier falling, spattering blood as he falls.

It was then the commotion spreads from one side, to spread so that battle stops as they stare to a area that seems to be behind them. Jang Bin turns around, to see that Uiseon is standing there.

Uiseon, who was hesitantly walking forward as if she was scared, looked at Jeong-won and walk to reach the fallen soldier in the middle, without saying anything and crouches next to the solider.

Jang Bin speaks urgently in a low voice, "Uiseon, go back. You should not be here." Gwon-won screams as if the magic has been released by the wind, when Eun-soo demands, "Hold that!"

The private soldiers who were fighting in their respective positions rushed towards Uiseon. The movement, triggers the Woodalchis to move at the same time.

One soldier who was in the front of the others was just about to grab Uiseon, Uwho raised her head to stare at him, making him flinch.

Eun-soo then orders the solider that was going to grab her, "Loosen that belt." He looks at her blankly. She demands, "Undo your belt."

She then turns to Jang Bin and says, "I am going to stop this patient's bleeding first, so Dr. Jang this is your patient. Please take a look."

Ki-Cheol is affronted with what he is witnessing. The perception that the origin of this woman is evil yells, "What are you doing!"

No one responded and Uiseon did not stop what she was doing which was now as she wrapped the injured man's thigh with the belt he had picked up and said, "Please help me, please help me," Two soldiers rushed in to assist instead of catching her like they had been ordered to.

Jang Bin quickly moved to stand next to the injured person that she pointed at in her sight. The man was in soldiers' clothes that identified him as one from the private ones that came with Ki-Cheol. He had been cut in the abdomen by Taiwan.

Jang Bin looks towards Uiseon, who was already finishing of tying the wounded man's thigh and was getting up to move to the next injured person, who had his arms cut off.

The wound look like a serious one as the bone was exposed which means that it was cut by Woodalchi's sword as they tended to be sharp.

Eun-soo suppresses swearing, when she examines the wound asking the man, "Did you touch it?" He shakes his head, while she looks at the blood-soaked clothes that cover the wounds wondering how she can find out the details.

Eun-soo's attention is caught by a sudden movement next to her. She looks to see it was Taiwan who was crouching right next to Eun-soo, which gives her and idea to pointing to his waist she states, "Use that knife." Then holds up the sleeve by the cuff to say, "Cut it here. Quick."

Taiwan awkwardly took his knife out and cut the sleeve that the Heavenly one had pointed to. Eun-soo drops the sleeve that is easily cut off and takes a deep breath thinking, 'These people are crazy. I am sitting among crazy people.'

Dougie came running from the inner room a while ago and gestured with her hand, to communicate to Jang Bin. Eun-soo noticing the interaction looks at him inquiringly, when he says, "Please stay here."

She continues to treat people as she watches first Taiwan left the room before Jang Bin, and then Jang Bin also left. Eun-soo tried to find out from Dougie what was going on.

Unfortunately, Dougie's attention remained fixed on what was happening outside, making her wonder what the hell was happening out there.

No one had explained what was happening, which was an indication that without a doubt not a good thing. 

It makes her wonder if she should run away? After all Choi Young had not yet regained consciousness.

The thought makes her peek at the direction to where Dougie is looking out the door she had came through.

It was a room with no windows large enough to escape through and no other exit. Even if there was another exit there was no another big man like Choi Young who could carry her out.

The curiosity of what is out there? Persists as she did not know it was happening and she did not know what to do to stop it.

Eun-soo made a simple decision, to stop worrying about what is happening outside. After all there is no way big man like Choi Young can be just carried out, so as a matter of survival she will just stop worrying about how he cannot be hurt again.

Suddenly, she hears weapons clashing, which makes her head jerk up to not only weapons clashing and then a groan. 

Eun-soo did not know if the sound of groaning, was the sound of someone actually getting hurt or not. The whole situation of people actually cutting each other right in front of your eyes, felt unreal.

The sight of blood spurting from the cut, had made her legs went numb and she felt like turning around and run away.

It was when she saw a person who had collapsed right in front of her. The injured man was still alive, crying and squirming as blood gushed out of the wound on his thighs.

Judging by the amount of bleeding, that was happening continually it became obvious to her that an artery had been cut.

Eun-soo knew that if no-one administered first aid... he will die. The thought makes her wonder, 'Can I do this?"

Before she could think about it anymore, she was next to the injured person, doing what she can to stem the bleeding.

Astounded at the sight of numerous injured men that are littered around the room. It makes her wonder as she treats them one on one as quickly as possible, 'What is this? What kind of agreement was it? She struggles to remember the useless words in her head.

Eun-soo notices the belt of the man standing in front of her and decides that she could stop the bleeding by tying the thighs.

She ties the belt above where the cut is and watches it as it stops the bleeding and then looks at the other injured nearby.

Eun-soo notices that everyone is still alive, so was this the agreement? Right? She points to one injured person to Teacher Jang Bin and then moved onto another injured person, who had a wound on his arm which seemed to be not serious.

Eun-soo heard movement next to her, as she removes the armor off the man and see Taiwan who she asked to cut the sleeve off the injured man with his knife.

With the sleeve off it exposed the wound on the elbow which is now spurting blood spurted from the inside of his elbow.

It seems the armor had been restricting the flow of blood and now the wound appears to be more serious than previously thought, as it is the brachial artery appears to have been cut.

Eun-soo was pressing down to stem the bleeding when a man starts to yell, "Cannot you hear me? How dare you ignore me? Why are you not catching that witch right now?"

At that moment, several men tried to catch Eun-soo, and several more men tried to catch Eun-soo. The sudden clashing of swords being wielded around her is overwhelming with swords being wielded and the sound of clashing steel fills the room as a wind blows around Eun-soo.

The sound is dizzying and the words that lingered in my throat for a moment pop out "Geneva Agreement!"

Eunsu's sudden voice made the surroundings stop for a moment again as she warns everyone, "You don't mess with doctors on the battlefield. Doctors are not biased they heal enemies and allies and... so... no one should touch the doctor. I will treat this person, who no one will touch until I am finished."

Looking at the blank faces of those looking at Eun-soo, makes her aware that they have no idea of what she is talking about.

Deciding to take the initiative she orders one of the soldiers who had been fighting to come and get her to order, "Press this patient here. Raise his arms high, above his heart. Ok? Yes. That is, it... and...."

Eun-soo turns around and to ask Jang Bin for a tourniquet, to then stop as the man who had been screaming earlier to suddenly pulled out his sword to grab the oriental doctor and put the blade of his sword on the other man's neck in a threatening way.

The injured man started to bleed from the abdomen after that Jang Bin had been treating. Eun soo moved to the injured man and was looking helplessly for a way to try to stop the blood that was coming out.

When the man who was threatening Jang Bin with his sword, while looking at Eun-soo said, "You monster, stand up obediently and come here slowly or I will kill all the city council members."PG222

Eun-soo thinks What are you going to do? What are you going to do? To the unrealistic demands of the company.

Eun-soo's eyes do not leave the man who is holding Jang Bin to ransom and watches the moment when he increases the pressure on the sword so that its point punctures of it in the neck slightly so that the blood trickles down his neck, to lay weight to his threat.

Eun-soo almost screamed and feels faint. One of the Woodalchi soldiers charge sword stretched out, aiming at the exact centre of the forehead of the one who is holding the oriental doctor hostage, to stop.

He screaming as if he is going to do something, "How dare you point a knife at someone. You were hell-bent on killing yourself are you not?"

The Woodalchi then directs his tirade at Ki-Cheol, "Busanari, keeping the righteousness is the command we received. The person who was stabbed was the royal doctor of the Lord Zhou Sang. Did you really want to die?"

The leader of the Woodalchi grits his teeth and says and looks the man who was currently receiving treatment from Uiseon.

It was Dong-sun, who belongs to the group of Chairman Woodalchi and he wants that treatment to continue.

It makes him wonder if after failing to block Uiseon, will the solider cut the Royal doctor's throat with a knife? Let's see what happens after I kill him.

The Leader was really thinking of doing that, but hearing a familiar rumble from behind, when he hears "Put down the knife."

It was Chung Seok who looked at the situation and at a glance and walked towards Eun-soo to say, "You are needed Uiseon. Please follow him." 

The news reached the temple where the Queen was located when the sun was setting. It was a place, where the Queen had retired to and all her other attending court ladies had been dismissed with the reason that she was in bed after taking a concoction prescribed by the pharmacy.

Palace Choi Sang-gung had restricted to the participation of those guarding the Queen to nine people.

Lady Choi arrived at this situation that she had been called in for and found out the facts, before being allowed to enter.

The Queen stood tall in the middle of the courtyard where a small pond was located and she was staring down at Buyong, who had failed to bloom her buds.

The Queen then asks, "I heard that Uiseon were taken away, or not taken away…"

Palace Chief Choi did not bother to understand the feelings of this Yuan princess, with no intention of changing it as she takes her positon to stand guard near the door.

Eun-soo answers, "They tried to take me away, after all I was literally dragged by Buwon-gun's private soldiers, before I was called away."

The Queen, who had been silent for a while, suddenly asked, "Shall I kill you? After all if I think it's worth using, I can let you live for a while. Normally if something is not useful.... Should I not kill it?"

The Palace Lady Choi does not give an answer readily, when the Queen suddenly asks again, "Then Choi Young, will he die too?" 

Lady Choi's heart sinks thinking questions she cannot ask, 'Mama, what are your intentions? Are you asking me?'

Other thoughts pop into her mind that makes her stomach boil, 'Young, this guy, what Queen of feelings did you instil in the Queen? For her to worry about you personally.'

Suddenly the Queen turns her body, and she begins to walk, saying "oto..." but stops as she walks faster and faster.

Lady Choi stays behind the Queen but remains the distance required unless called upon to serve. The standing mugakshi and court ladies busily followed the Queen, who was making her way to the pond wondering how long it would take for her bouillon to bloom.

The Queen thinks she walks, remembering the last time that the bouillon was in bloom and, the pond had several times bigger than this, and there were no gaps in the water surface.

It was the day her father, King Wei, announced that her marriage had been decided. She remembers how she said she would rather die if it was not with Him.

No one had believed her, only she knew herself, how she would not have been able to endure being held, her clothes removed and showing her skin to any other man if it had not been Him. 

All this if it is Him, it was bearable, she felt like she was going to go crazy. Just thinking about it makes her feel sixteen. So, to calm herself she walked in the midnight air to the pond.

She remembers how the water was as black as ink and as cold as ice, as she continued to walk into it, the feeling as the black, cold water touches her ankles.

She had kept walking to go deeper, feeling the water as it wrapped around her, to reach her thighs, and soon to rise to cover the top of her breasts.

The Queen remembers she had started to feel dizzy because the powdered buyong she had received in the folded paper, was taken with her tea to help her forget. 

She recalls how tears flowed endlessly, thinking for this I am dying, when I think about it, I feel sad. But what was more painful was that we would never see each other again. If only I could see you one more time, even if the cold, turning away eyes are just once.

If only I could see him once more, then I wouldn't cry like this... the thought staggers to a stop when she found the ground that subsided and made her unsure of where to step.

That night when I was struggling because I couldn't find it, that pond has made her two skirts, grab at her legs before wrapping around them to start to pull her down.

Finally the skirts make he lose her footing which results in the guards on patrol entering the pond splashing in their hurry to rescue her.

The action had her father asked her as she came to her senses, his voice shaking, "Did you have a secret affair with the prince of Goryeo?" She answered, "I have never done that."

Her father persists to ask, "What did he say to you? How did he tempt you?"Did you say that?" She answers honestly, "He does not know me." Her father looks bewildered which reflects in his voice when he asks, "Then why should it be him?"

She had answered him, "I don't know, Dad. It just has to be him." She remembers how he had looked at her angrily, as she cries sadly, which changes his expression to one of apology.

After watching as she calms down her father said, "I should like to meet the Prince of Goryeo." So, he had put a request in, which resulted in him being summoned to the palace.

The Queen remembers that the day she was supposed to meet him, she had stayed up the entire previous night, changing her clothes several times and redoing her hair several times. That day she was ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・

The King was so deeply concerned that after he ate the evening meal, he went to bed. The relieved eunuch, Andochi, is startled by the Queen's unexpected arrival confused as after the marriage, each of them always resided in their own place, not even spending the night together, like some couples.

So, her sudden appearance on this dark night, without warning, made the eunuch run inside to report her arrival to the King.

Realising he had not welcomed her, so turns around to do that first, hurrying to make up time he does this quickly and the goes to the King as he hears the announcement as the Queen enter the corridor, "Queen Mama..."

I tried to tell Lady Choi that walks slightly behind the Queens procession that I had not yet told His Highness, yet but the queen refused to wait and passed Andochi to go inside, making the eunuch embarrassed.

The Lady Choi Sang-gung following behind her Andochi does not know what to do about the situation.

Seeing that she is making her way to where the King sleeps, he sighs as he quickens his steps to make his way in front of the Queen to block her way.

They have stopped right in front of the door to the King's bedroom. Lady Choi starts to say, "First, Your Highness...." but cannot finish speaking as Queen Nazin purshes the closed door with both hands. 

The King, who was in the process of changing his clothes for bed, turned around in surprise at his door suddenly being opened.

The Queen came in like the wind and stood tall in the middle of the room, to suddenly ask, "Your Highness, may I ask you a question?"

The nine people who were assisting the King with his preparations look at him in confusion, their actions stopped midway in what they were doing. 

The King who looks at the Queen, signals with his hand to continue with what they were doing, to then ask her in a bland voice, "If I say no, will you just leave?"

The King whose voice belies the pounding of his heart at what has made his Queen seek him out in the middle of the night, with no notice, no prior warning and with no restraint.

It is the first time that the King can remember that the Queen had seeked him out to personally approach him.

The first thing the Queen says when she found the King was, "I heard that you gave Uiseon to Ki-Cheol. I have heard everything."

The King reprimands her sternly, "This is the palace. You cannot use the name of the. Deokseong Buwon, instead just say military."

The King is not sure if the Queen would listen to his reason for doing what he did. The thought of a King being in a position, where he has no other choice but to do what he does not want to do, is uncomprehendable, even to him.

The Queen then says something completely strange, "I heard that Uiseon is treating the Woodalchi Captain Choi Young. Did you have any knowledge of this? You should know Choi Young is not just complaining, his life is in danger. It is said that Uiseon is holding on to that precarious life."

The King asks her, "How do you know so much detail?" The Queen retorts, "How can you not know so much?"

The King is dumbfounded at the Queen who has raised her voice, in his presence. He looks around at the courtiers around him who were busily avoiding their gazes, continuing with their duties. 

The King then reprimands her, "The person who grew up as a famous princess has never learned etiquette. Is it you?"

The Queen does not back down, "Rather than my petty manners and etiquette being important to the King, should it not be this country to be more important to, His Majesty?" 

As she spoke the Queen shook her head inwardly, realising the words that she had said, were not the ones she meant to say.

The words are said in the heat of the moment as the two exchanged verbal sparring like they were sparring with weapons.

The use of veiled words to convey the meaning of what is being said like a weapon, become sharper as the argument prolonged to the point where they lost control of themselves to not hold back what they want to say, but lost the real reason for the conversation in the first place.

The King then says, "I will give up each and every one of my people to the enemy so that I can survive."

The Queen cannot believe what she is hearing and says, "What on earth is this etiquette? Is this your great manners that you speak of? Is it?"

The King turns his gaze from looking at his Queen and looks at the Head Court Lady Choi Sang-gung, to silently request privacy. Taking the cue the Lady Choi signals to the other courtiers who quickly leave the room, closing the door, to leave the two of them alone.

The two had remained standing while their courtiers left the room. It was not until the room was empty that the King moves to stride to stand right closely in front of the Queen to say softly, "Who am I?" 

The King really wants to know, who the Queen thinks he is. After all her showing up here for the first time unexpectedly at night to then say things like that with that face prompt his to question her motives;

'Who am I to your Queen? Why did you come to me on your own and worry about Choi Young and not me? Why are you doing this? Until now, you have only said one indifferent word to me, and it had not been difficult either. Why do you have so much self-control? Are you losing it, because of him?'

Since he could not ask these questions out loud so, the King asked again, a little more demanding, "Who am I?" The Queen is not avoiding his gaze, which makes him think, 'What are you so excited about? Do you deserve it?'

Instead, he challenges her with his next words, "Queen, your character has become so bad that I wonder what has eaten it. Or are you the princess of Yuan, and I am the chaff of a powerless country? So it is okay to treat the King of a powerless country so carelessly."

Those words made the Queen's stomach explode, voicing her anger, "Do you not know?" whilst she pleads in her head for him to understand, 'O King, every time you talk so condescendingly in my heart. Do you not know how much your actions is making everything fall apart?'

Instead, the words that come out of her mouth, "The pheasant, being chased by the hunter, sticks their head in the grass to hide it. The pheasant thinks the hunter cannot see them.

Your Majesty, there was a pheasant in the field. Were you not there? The night of the guest house where assassins invaded. I wanted to cross in front of you. I wanted to stop and fight.

Choi Young did what I could not do. Who is on your side and who should protected you so that you can survive? Do you not know? If you give up your will and Woodalchi Choi Young dies... What happens then? Who will be left next to Your Majesty?"

At the time of the conference, the Queen had thought that baring her wounds and putting her name on the line, would have protected the King in some way. 

Instead her words were laughed at and it had been Uiseon that had stopped Ki-Cheol and his followers.

The King is floored at her declaration that she had wanted to cry and asks the Queen in a suppressed voice asks, "So you're saying the Queen came running because she was worried about me?"

The King wanted to finish there, but he could not, as a suspicion nags at which makes him persist, "I heard that Choi Young was secretly invited to the Queen's residence some time ago. Was that meant for me too?

The moment the last question left his mouth, the King wanted to kick himself, for showing his jealousy.

The Queen looked at the King with eyes wide with shocked to counter, "I did not know you were that interested in me."

The King does not respond, to her statement, instead challenging how she had not answered his questions, anger showing in his voice when he says;

"Do you not understand Korean? Which question is the Queen finding difficult to answer? After all was the Queen not worried about how word would spread when she called Choi Young to her place for a private meeting?"

Instead of getting angry at how the King words his questions. The Queen stands there feeling a suddenly overcome with sadness at the silent accusation that the King makes, taking a moment to swallow the sadness that wants to overwhelm her.

The Queen, regaining her composure speaks in a voice that does not waver even though she is immersed in sorrow, "If you fall, I fall. If they step on me, they step on you too."

The Queen thinks, 'That is it, of course I am worried about you. I cannot just sit still in my room and worry. So, instead I came running like this, only to be met with this flippant attitude to her concerns.'

Without her knowledge tears have started to flow down her cheeks at how useless it was to try and make her concerns be taken seriously.

The King watches in surprise at the normally composed Queen's face suddenly show tears that have filled her big eyes to flow silently down her still face, with no other apparent outward shows of distress that he has witnessed other ladies' resort to.

The Queen says quietly in a defeated tone, "It seems I came to the wrong place and asked the wrong question. I will never seek you out to ask your counsel about decisions again. So please forgive me."

Before the King can even respond, the Queen turns her body and left, the King is left standing in shock not able to move.

The interaction has left him scrambling his thoughts leaving him to analyse the meaning of the words the Queen had said.

The King's heart rejects that he is jealous of Choi Young and the attention of the Won female. After all what was the King of Goryeo jealous of? How can he compete for the attention of the woman who resents and hates him?

In comparison it was Choi Young who had got in front of the Queen to intercept the assassins, who he had fought with at the guesthouse on their journey to Goryeo.

The one who fought them off was not me, but him. It was also him who was there to catch the Queen who had collapsed while blood was spewing out of the cut on her neck.

It was also him that had entered without hesitation the gates of Heaven for the Queen whose life was in danger; her life hangs in the balance on the success of his only trustworthy subjects' actions. 

The kindness that the King extended to him, was done save him. Uinseon is something he gave to the enemy with his own hands.

The King feels jealous of the man that has the Queen who came running to him in worry about his life.

After all, just because the one and only subject he trusted was better than Him, did not mean that the King had to allow it.

The King continues to stand in the same spot he had been on when the Queen had left, as there was no place to hide, so he remains standing where he stood.

Choi Young's pulse was like water flowing beneath the deep surface, dull and slow. It did not stop, quietly making its way around his body to flow and circulate, as it keeps the steady flow that carries with it the scattered energy of Jinki.

The scattered energy of Jinki has not yet gathered in the Danjeon, which requires the owner of the body to wake up enough to concentrate it and meditate to collect it and concentrate it in the Danjeon.

Jang Bin looks back at Taiwan next to him, who is looking at him desperately waiting for reassurance.

It makes Taiwan wonder rambling out loud, "Lord... are you sleeping? I... know...You are sleeping. Well, we have no choice but to wait here for you to wake up. When… when…" Jang Bin feels dizzy, with the statements that captured his own worries perfectly being vocalised.

The person lying unconscious on the bed does not know anything about it is in a place where the fierce wind is raging, around him as he walks with no fear. 

Jang Bin was worried about the person who lies unconscious and the other person he didn't know at all, kept swallowing to wet his dry mouth.

He watches as she directs Taiwan to prepare water interrupting his tiarade, to then wet the captain's dry lips, with the water he brought.

The two of them did not want to leave the captain wanting to be there to see him regain consciousness. Crouching over the bed, she calls out to Choi Young, who doesn't know how to open her eyes. "Iboo."

Jang Bin worries outloud to Taiwan, "I think Uiseon will be in trouble. Thanks to all we know, about Deong Buwongun... I do not think she would be spared." 

Taiwan asks, "If he is brought back to life after he dies. Why is he acting so late?" He remembers the sight of Uiseon kissing Choi Young's lips.

It makes him wonder, 'Could it be explained as Uiseon doing a ritual where she sharing her breath as a member of the National Assembly? If not, something that Uiseon's heart told her to do?

Jang Bin does not know what he is more worried about. He wonder if it is because he is regarding Uiseon, as a normal woman, and is concerned about her giving her heart to the man of the land.

Was it a possibility? What if the man did not or could not receive that heart?... What then?... Is he worried that Uiseon's feelings will be hurt? or is he worried about all that? Was he worried about what consequences her abilities will expose her to? Is what she said true?